I am not a winter person. Never was. But I have been learning, patiently, to embrace it as much as I can. Basically it’s embrace or complain right?

In the Danish way of HYGGE , which loosely translates to enjoying your days with coziness, small pleasures and feelings of wellness and contentment, I have decided to pamper myself more. And I encourage you to do so also. And why not? By pamper, I don’t mean JUST beauty treatments like going to a nail salon or getting a massage. Perhaps pampering is the wrong word.

How about taking care of yourself exquisitely?

Yeah, exquisite, loving, focused self care.

Nurturing your mind, body and soul.

Slowing down and savoring.

Surrounding yourself with love and beauty.

Giving yourself a little REBOOT out of the winter funk many of us fall into.

Taking time each to to create something you love, to move your body, to stimulate your spirit, to ground your entire being.

Sound good? These very simple 15 things are often neglected when we rush through the day-harried and stressed- and sort of forget about ourselves.  The more you do, the more enjoyable your days will be. Really.

1. Never skip a day of music. Choose those songs that stir your soul , uplift you or always make you want to sing along.
2. Indulge yourself with a nightly skin pampering  bath or shower without anyone interrupting. This is Water therapy!
3. Nurture your body with a calming cocoa blend made with adaptogens to help us deal with stress better.  Take your vitamin D if you don’t live in the south and a good whole food vitamin. How about a Master Tonic for full body support?
4. Walk more. Take the stairs. Park further. Walk the dog. It all adds up and it’s important for everything from circulation to heart health to relaxing.
5. Make your beauty routine a time of gentle nurturing. Use aromatic skincare that is scented naturally and gently apply with a loving touch.
6. Yoga. Every day. Even if it’s 10 minutes, it’s time for you. ( 20-30 minutes is even better)
7. Try Tai Chi , meditation or simply deep breathing every night before bed. Here’s some info about focused breathing.
8. Sleep better. Power down electronics early, darken the bedroom and scent the air with soothing relaxing lavender, ylang ylang or night time blend. A night time pillow spray is an excellent idea too. Adding CBD can be very relaxing and enhance sleep for many people. Try Calm by Wellness here with 20% off your first order. Another thing that helps many people is magnesium lotion.
9. Read. Daily. Read something you love. Find a new author. Stretch your mind. Escape into a good book!
10. Nurture your body with fresh, healthy seasonal foods. The more you eat this way, the less you will want packaged foods. It’s true. Take time to prep, cook and eat mindfully.
11. Get rid of artificial scents in your house that can cause headaches. Headaches are stressful. The goal here is less stress. Use essential oils that have therapeutic effects, like lavender or peppermint, OR  if you love candles, these are non toxic excellent candles you will love.
12. Embrace a winter storm. Light the fire, grab the blanket, put away the to-do list. Hygge style.
13. Get a massage- from your kids, your significant other or at a spa. Or give yourself one. You can massage your own hands, feet, face and head. So relaxing. If not a massage, more cuddles and hugs from the kids releases those amazing endorphins for both of you!
14. Spend a minimum of 30 minutes outside every day if you can. Take walks at parks, even if it’s cold. being in nature, seeing the animals, trees, water….it’s therapeutic for mind, body and spirit.